What If?
by Asofai
Summary: What If? What if Harry died at the end of the seventh book and Lord Voldemort rose to power? What then?
1. Chapter 1

What if?  
What if Harry died in the forest, and didn't kill Voldemort?  
What if?

* * *

Harry walked into the forest, foreboding in the put of his stomach. He knew what he must do, but he didn't know if he could do it. To just let Voldemort kill him seemed the most illogical thing that he could do, but he was a horcrux. Yes he, Harry was a horcrux, and he needed to die. 

Soon, way too soon, he reached Voldemort. If only the walk took more time, if only.

"So, the Potter boy hasn't shown up. I guess that I was wrong," hissed Voldemort, "oh well, he will die anyways." Harry could still escape, Voldemort hadn't seen him yet. But Harry knew that he couldn't, who knew how many Voldemort would kill otherwise. Harry threw off the invisibility cloak.

"I'm right here, Voldemort," Harry cried out. He had tried not to show his fear, but even as he said it his voice shook with fear. Instantly the two closest Death Eaters grabbed his arms.

"Well well, the Potter boy has come, how honorable," crowed Voldemort, spitting out the last word. "Honor won't help you here Potter, only power. Only power and those too weak to seek it." Voldemort raised his wand and shouted "Crucio." Instantly Harry was writhing in pain, amazing pain that can only be summoned through magic. Finally, it seemed like forever, it stopped. "Just a little taster, Harry, of what will come." The Death Eaters laughed loudly. "Crucio," shouted Voldemort. Once again, Harry felt the pain flow through his body, it felt like his insides were on fire. It went on for what seemed like eternity, but finally it stopped. "Well," said Voldemort, "it seems like Potter has earned a break. Avada Kedavra!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Back at Hogwarts

* * *

"Where's Harry," cried Ron over to Hermione.

"I don't know, I've looked for him everywhere. I just hope that he didn't go in the forest."

"Attention Hogwarts," boomed out the voice of Lord Voldemort, magnified in volume, "Harry Potter is dead. Yes, your hero, the 'Boy-Who-lived' is dead." Voldemort walked out onto the field, what appeared to be Harry's body was being dragged by one of the death eaters. "I know that you won't believe me, so I shall leave his body here. In ten minutes those who still wish to fight shall be killed." Saying so, Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters walked away, leaving Harry's body behind.

"Harry," cried Hermione, running up his body, Ron close behind. Hermione held Harry's hand, and then felt his pulse.

"Is he, is he actually?" asked Ron.

'Yes," said Hermione, choking back tears, "he-he's dead." Ron put his arm around Hermione, and pulled her in close. Hermione leaned into his shoulder, crying. Ron now found himself in an unusual position, because Harry wasn't there to take charge, and he knew that Hermione wouldn't have suggestions any time soon.

"Hermione, we have to go, he'll be back soon. I don't want to be here when he does." As they stood up, Ron noticed the crowd of people standing behind them. Everyone looked dishearten, knowing that Harry was there was the only reason that many of them kept fighting.

"Well," said Professor McGonagle, "I guess we should just keep on fighting. Who's with me?" Almost no one raised their hands.

"What's the point staying, anyways?" asked a boy who Ron didn't quite recognize. A few more people chimed in, with things like "let's go." The crowd of people started walking back inside the building, and Ron followed with Hermione. When they got to the room of requirement, they stepped into the picture, and out into Aberforth's bar.

They quickly got out of the bar, and dissipated once a safe distance away. Everyone had a look of glum and despair on their faces, for they knew that this was a war that couldn't be won.

* * *

Sorry this chapter is so short, the next one will be better 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three—In the Ministry

* * *

Matilda Bettington was cleaning up from her job at the ministry when she heard a huge bang as the doors to the ministry blew apart. In stepped an array of people, all dressed in black cloaks and their faces covered with masks. Death Eaters. "Incendio," came a large, harsh cry. A billowing fireball came blowing down the hallway, destroying all in sight. Matilda and jumped up and ran down the hallway, away from the fireball. Left, right, left, down a flight of stairs. No matter which way she went, the fireball just got closer and closer. As she rounded round one last corner, she ran smack into a wall. There was nowhere to go, on where to run. Right as she turned around, the fire engulfed her.

Back at the atrium, Lord Voldemort laughed at the destructing of the Ministry of Magic. The desks were all burnt, the papers destroyed. The cursed fountain, which had stopped him from killing the Potter boy two years ago, was a melted lump of metal, spraying steam instead of water. Voldemort slowly walked down the hallway, a twisted smile on his face. "Search the building. If anyone gets out alive, you shall pay."

"Yes, my Lord," said one of the masked Death Eaters, as they spread out in search of survivors. Voldemort kept walking until he got to one certain room. A very specific room. The room was charred on the outside, but was very intact on the inside. Voldemort scowled. How he hated that room, how he hated what was in it. Voldemort gave a scream; a scream like had been never heard. The sound shook the very roots of the building. Chunks of plaster and stone started raining around Voldemort, as part of the building started collapsing. Dust rained everywhere, and even Voldemort couldn't see the room, but her knew that it was still there, annoyingly intact. But it didn't matter, his plan would still work, for it worked last time, until the Potter boy came, and there was no Potter boy this time.

Voldemort walked back out to the front of the Ministry, or what remained of it. He stared out at the muggle village, smiling. How little they knew that their entire work was going to be destroyed, and an order would emerge, a true order, with purebloods ruling the world, wit him as their leader. Yes, it was a wonderful vision that would finally get realized. The ministry was "unaware" of his presence before he showed up. Of course, his people had already left; most of them were still useful to him.

Soon, the Death Eaters returned one by one, with the same news, none who remained survived. Good, there was that pesky little detail taken care of. Now, the conquest could begin in earnest. First, to establish his own "Ministry," for he had to rule from somewhere. But that could wait for another night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

Ron sat on the couch and flicked on the TV. They could no long receive the wizarding newspapers, so they had to rely on the muggle news to try to figure out what was going on.

"Earlier this morning a group of unknown terrorists flew a plane into the CN tower in Canada. Over 120 people have been reported as killed, and at least 300 have been injured." Ron groaned as the report showed forage of the site, Voldemort was moving international faster than they had even feared. ""This attack has come just days after the subway bombings in London, asking the world a question. What has spurred these multiple terrorist attacks? For right now authorities believe that the attacks are unrelated, however many continue to believe that they are, in fact, related."

Ron flipped the channel and stopped on the next news station. "Well," said the man, "even mother nature seems to hate us now. Huge storms have just been rolling off the coast and everywhere with no end in sight. As many as 300 hundred are still missing after the freak hurricane over on the western coast. What seems to be perpetual mist is actually a result of the colliding air fronts, specialists say, and no end in sight to that as well."

Ron turned off the TV in disgust, he could have learned as much about Voldemort by staring out the window, except for the attack on the CN tower. That was new. But Voldemort would obviously take out whatever was important to a nation. "Hermione," called Ron, "we should leave soon." Ron walked over to the kitchen. "Hermione?"

"Don't move or she gets it whispered a low and menacing voice." Ron turned around to see a masked man holding Hermione with one arm and holding his wand against her neck with the other. "Throw your wand on the ground, no tricks or she gets it." The man jabbed Hermione even harder in the neck. Ron slowly grabbed his wand with one hand and dropped it on the ground. "Good, raise your hands and turn around slowly." Ron did as he was told. "Good." Ron heard a thump that sounded suspiciously like a body falling to the ground, but was too afraid to turn around. He felt something brush the back of his head, then darkness.

"You have him?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Good, tell him I will let him live a little longer before he dies, there I have other matters to take care of."

"I shall be done, my Lord." The cloaked man bowed and walked away. Potter's friend was now locked up, and he could provide useful information before he was killed.


	5. Chapter 5

_So, so sorry for not updating sooner. I was just really busy, but I'm back, and I'll update more often. A lot more often._

Chapter 5—Hermione and the forest.

Hermione ran blindly through the forest, tree branches whacking at her face. Just minutes before, she saw Bellatrix enter the house with Avery. Hermione was about to sneak in when Crabbe started chasing her. Luckily he was just about as bright as his son, and didn't have the common sense to tell the others that she was there. Also lucky for her, Crabbe was about as athletic as a sloth, and she easily outran him. Hermione turned around to look back and felt herself falling, her foot caught on a root. She put out her hands to stop herself, and hit the ground. Hermione grabbed her foot and yanked it out of the root, and continued running. Soon, she was in an open field of tall grass.

"Huh," thought Hermione, "there's no field anywhere near the house." She and Ron had scoped out the countryside for miles around in case they needed to get away quickly, like now. But there was a field right there. And Ron. Oh no, what had they done to Ron? But they had promised each other that they would save their own life first and help the other person second. As she stood in the field, something unusual happened. Red smoke started leaking out of the forest onto the field, starting so low that at first Hermione didn't notice it, but when she did it was too late, the smoke had completely covered the field and enveloped her.

5.5 Bellatrix

Bellatrix spat the taste out of her mouth. She had been Hermione for an hour, and the taste of the polyjuice potion was horrendous. But then she laughed. They had Ron, and soon Hermione would be captured. They were the only ones that had ever stopped them, and Potter was already dead. He was the only one that actually did anything. Well, onto the next job. Bellatrix disappeared with a pop and appeared where the Ministry once stood. Assembled there were piles of brick, stone, cement, wood, metal, and other construction materials. And an enslaved army of 2000 under the imperious curse.

"Work!" screamed Bellatrix, magically amplifying her voice. The people set to work, building a fortress worthy of the Dark Lord ruling from. Bellatrix smiled as the slaves slowly built up the fortress, brick by brick, stone by stone. "Faster!" It felt good to be back in control after so long. Slowly, the shape began to form. The four towers were soon visible, and the inside work had started. The structure rose from the ground as if it was a living creature. And when it was done, it looked magnificent. A large, square stone building was the center. Walls came off of each corner and ended in towers, and ramparts lined the top. It was ready.

Bellatrix apparated at the entrance to Azkaban. Yaxley looked up, "what is it?"

"Tell the Dark Lord that his fortress is ready."

"Tell him yourself," replied Yaxley, opening the gate. Bellatrix walked through the gate and up to the main entrance of Azkaban. You never really realized how big it was until you where there. Bellatrix walked in to where she knew that the Dark Lord would be waiting.

"Well," he sneered. "What is it?"

"Your 'Ministry' is ready."

"Good, good. It is all in place." The Dark Lord dismissed her with a wave of his hand. Bellatrix walked out and diapparated as soon as she was a good distance away. Now was time to truly see the fortress. Bellatrix appeared just outside the area that it covered; all defensive spells had already been put into place. From her vantage point, it certainly looked impressive, especially considering the time that it had taken her to build it. The entire outside was solid stone, held together by mortar and the entire structure was magically reinforced. The windows were Plexiglas; the doors were solid oak that covered a metallic interior. Bellatrix stepped into the anteroom, and knew that even under the imperious curse people could still build amazing works.

The room was circular, with a black and white tiled floor. Straight in front of her were a small set of double doors. To the left and right were two sets of staircases that curved along the walls to a small landing right above the double doors. The ceiling was high, covering in gold leaf, but it was impossibly high from the height outside the building. But that was part of the design; every part of the building had been magically changed some way in size to confuse the enemy, if they were to possibly get in. The only part that hadn't been changed was the towers. Almost every object in the building had been enchanted with some protective spell. On top of that, it was incredibly comfortable, and would be a great place to rest, Bellatrix reflected. But more importantly, it would be the headquarters of the Dark Lord's regime. First Britain, then the World!

_It's after this chapter that everything exciting starts happening._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
Last Resistance  
(Same Day as previous chapter)

* * *

"Follow me," commanded Avery. "And don't do anything stupid."

"Why do you get to be in charge?" asked the large blond death eater.

"Because, he doesn't want an idiot like you bungling it up. Now follow me."

The troupe of death eaters disappeared one after another in several loud pops. They appeared in the center of Diagon Alley. They ran behind Avery up down the alley, pushing aside those too stupid to move. "Confringo" shouted Avery, pointing to the doors of Gringotts. They flew open with a huge "bang" and went flying off their hinges. Before the dust and smoke had cleared the death eaters were already in.

"All of you, throw down your wands and move over there," shouted Avery, pointing with his wand over to the corner. The wizards in the place quickly complied, but the goblins were slower to obey, though they did. "Fiendf—"

"No!" shouted one of the goblins.

"Fiendfyre!" a huge burst of fire came out of Avery's wand and went down one of the tunnels, burning everything as it did.

"Let's get out of here!" Fiendfyre was too dangerous for them to stay. The Death Eaters ran out onto the street. When they were about fifty feet from the building a huge explosion rocked the ground. They all felt the heat and the shockwave as they were thrown onto the ground. '_What? __Fiendfyre__ doesn't work that quickly.'_ Avery stood up and turned around. The building was perfectly fine, and standing in front of it were five aurors. The five aurors spread out in a line as the death eaters did the same. They all held their wands at the ready, for they knew not who would fire the first shot. But when it came, all hell broke loose.

"Reducto!" whispered Avery, pointing to the first floor of the building behind the aurors. The entire building collapsed, spending a spray of dust and wood everywhere. Lights from wands danced everywhere, and he couldn't find any of his men. Avery couldn't dwell on this for long as a tall, handsome auror came up to him and they began to duel. Their wands moved in a blur as the dueled, sparks ricocheting as they cast and countered spells. The auror was good, but not good enough. Avery eventually got through to him, and kicked aside his body as he went to rejoin the rest of his death eaters.

He found them sitting on the ground close to where they started, pick pocketing the dead. Of the five men he started left, only two were left. The Dark Lord would not be pleased. Avery beckoned to them that it was time to go, and cast Fiendfyre down the road, almost as an afterthought. They apparated back at the Fortress of the Dark Lord, and were surprised with what they found there. A full-scale battle was already in progress on the field, with the Death Eaters defending from atop the Fortress.

Avery felt a blow to back of his head and fell down. He hit the ground and turned onto his back when his attacker jumped upon him, pinning his legs down. The man had a wild look on his face as he pushed his wand into Avery's neck. Suddenly the pressure was released and the man stared at Avery.

"Avery? Sorry mate, didn't recognize you." Mulciber stood up and offered his hand to Avery who gratefully accepted it.

"Ow, did you really have to hit that hard?"

"Quick, we have to go," said Mulciber, ignoring his last comment. They both hurried towards the fighting and joined the fray. A smoke and dust were everywhere, and it was hard to see more than ten feet away. But Avery vaguely became aware that there were less and less aurors left fighting until the smoke and dust settled, and there were none left. Tired and exhausted, they headed back into the newly Fortress.


End file.
